VNHNO - The 130th birthday anniversary of President Ton Duc Thang was marked at a grand ceremony held on August 20 in the late President’s home village in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang.
At the event, President Tran Dai Quang delivered a speech, looking back at the life and revolutionary career of the late President, also known affectionately as Uncle Ton.
Born on August 20, 1888 at Ong Ho islet, An Hoa village, now My Hoa Hung commune of Long Xuyen city, An Giang province, Ton Duc Thang joined the patriotic movement against the French colonialists since young age. During the time working abroad, he participated in workers’ movement in France, the rising of the French Navy in the Black Sea in support of the October Revolution in Russia.
President Tran Dai Quang delivers his speech at a grand ceremony to mark the 130th birthday anniversary of President Ton Duc Thang in the late President’s home village in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang on August 20. Photo: VNA
Returning to Vietnam in 1920, the late President founded the first workers’ union in Vietnam and led the worker’ movement in Sai Gon, with the Ba Son strike being the most typical example of the movement’s activities. He then joined the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth's Union and was entrusted with several key positions. He was arrested by the French colonialists in 1929 and was imposed 20 years of hard labour in prison. In Con Dao prison, he was among the founders of the first Party cell in prison.
With the success of the August Revolution, Ton Duc Thang regained his freedom and immediately joined the resistance war against the French invaders. He was assigned many important missions by the Party, and in any position, Ton Duc Thang fulfilled his duty, setting a bright example of patriotism, firm revolutionary will, loyalty and revolutionary ethics.
His great contributions to the Vietnamese revolution, the world peace movement and international friendship had won recognition in the form of many noble order and awards. He was the first person to be conferred with the Sao Vang (Golden Star) Order by the Vietnamese Party and State. He was also awarded with the Lenin Order and the Lenin Prize of the Soviet Union.
President Tran Dai Quang stressed that with nearly 70 years engagement in the Vietnamese revolution, 26 successive years serving as President of the Lien Viet Front and the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and more than 10 years holding the Presidency of the nation, Uncle Ton’s 92-year life and revolutionary career was a bright example of patriotism, devotion to the revolutionary cause, firm will and revolutionary ethics.
In Ho Chi Minh City, a delegation of the city’ Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee and Vietnam Fatherland Front offered incense and floral tribute to the late President Ton Duc Thang at the museum dedicated to him on the occasion of his birthday.
The museum is holding a display on the childhood of President Ton Duc Thang, with around 100 exhibits showing the situation in An Giang province and the southern region in late 19th and early 20th centuries./.
